Anish Shrestha, from Itahari, Sunsari, recently completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering from IOE, Purwanchal Campus, Dharan. He enjoys listening to music and playing basketball in his free time. Passionate about technology, Anish aspires to become a skilled Software engineer, developing innovative solutions that make an impact. He is excited to participate in the TEJ Fellowship, eager to learn, collaborate with inspiring peers, and excel in every way possible. Fun fact about Anish, he can spend hours curating the perfect playlist for any mood.

Anjana Budhathoki, from Baglung, completed her Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from IOE, Pashchimanchal Campus, Pokhara. She enjoys a variety of hobbies, including reading novels and comics, drawing, painting, swimming, and traveling. With an interest in coding since her school days, Anjana wants to become a skilled programmer and develop her own projects in the future.

Native to Nawalpur, Anu Ale Magar, recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from IOE, Pashchimanchal Campus, Pokhara. She is passionate about backend development and eager to build a career in this field. She enjoys exploring the internet and loves sports, including table tennis, football, and badminton. She is excited to be part of the TEJ Fellowship and looks forward to continued growth.

Bijay Pokhrel Darji, recently completed his 8th semester in Electronics, Communication, and Information Engineering from IOE, Purwanchal Campus. He is originally from Dharan, Sunsari. He is passionate about Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and coding, and has explored full-stack web development with the aim of integrating AI into real-world web applications. He is excited to be part of the TEJ Fellowship, eager to learn, collaborate, and grow with others. In his free time, he enjoys exploring new places and trying different cuisines.

Binita Hamal, from Tansen, Palpa, recently completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering from IOE, Pashchimanchal Campus. She enjoys traveling and has recently taken up reading books. Astronomy excites her, and during her college years, she began exploring tech-related fields, sparking curiosity about how technology works and why it’s built. Her goal is to become a skilled Fullstack developer and complete her dream project independently. She feels a stronger connection to animals than to people.

Originally from Banke District of Lumbini State, Ganesh Tharu has completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering from IOE, Purwanchal Campus. To unwind from stress, he enjoys singing with Karaoke tracks. Ganesh has a clear goal to become a successful entrepreneur, inspiring others to live an exciting yet disciplined life. An interesting fact about Ganesh is - he is super thin :)

Hari Shankar Limbu, who goes by Ashok, is originally from Chainpur, Sankhuwasabha district. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Electronics, Communication, and Information Engineering from IOE, Purwanchal Campus, Dharan. His hobbies include fishing, playing football, cricket, and chess, alongside an interest in video editing and content creation. He aims to run his own digital agency in the future. Fun fact: He’s a Pro Max Masu lover.

Lokesh is from Kanchanpur, Saptari, and recently completed undergraduate studies in Geomatics Engineering from IOE, Pashchimanchal Campus. He is passionate about geospatial technologies, focuses on applying GIS and remote sensing to real-world challenges. In his free time, he explores AI tools and stays updated on advancements in mapping and spatial analytics. Aspiring to become a geospatial data scientist, Lokesh aims to contribute to impactful solutions. Fun fact about him is that he often channels his curiosity into side projects.

From Tulsipur, Dang, Mahesh Chaudhary, recently completed his Bachelor’s degree in Electronics, Communication, and Information Engineering from IOE, Purwanchal Campus, Dharan. He is passionate about technology and community work, having led various initiatives to unite people in learning, building, and growing. Outside of tech, Mahesh enjoys traveling and capturing moments along the way. Fun fact: He often leaves tasks to the last minute but manages to complete them just in time.

Manoj Rai, from Itahari, recently completed his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from IOE, Purwanchal Campus. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing cricket. He aspires to become a successful software developer.

Rahul Karna, originally from Rajbiraj, Saptari, grew up in Madhyapur Thimi, where he completed his +2 studies. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electronics, Communication, and Information Engineering from IOE, Purwanchal Engineering Campus, Dharan. Passionate about technology, Rahul has growing interests in Cybersecurity, DevOps, and full-stack web development. Outside of tech, he enjoys watching movies and series, reading novels, and exploring new places.

Ramesh Pariyar, from Myagdi, completed his Bachelor’s degree in Geomatics Engineering from IOE, Pashchimanchal Campus, Pokhara, in 2080. He has a keen interest in playing basketball, reading books, and traveling. With a newly developed passion for coding, Ramesh aspires to become a full-stack developer and contribute to the geospatial coding industry in the near future.

Swikar Ramdam, from Dharan, Nepal, has a background in Electronics, Communication, and Information Engineering from IOE, Purwanchal Campus. He has taught full-time and worked as a UI/UX designer but aspires to become a full-stack developer, aiming to work remotely for a multinational company while staying near family and friends. In his free time, he enjoys playing futsal and exploring AI prompts and creative tech. He prefers peaceful environments, values personal space, and describes himself as mostly introverted, readily ambivert, and occasionally extroverted when the vibe feels right.

Benju Lwagun is a writer at Global Voices. In her articles, she focuses on the issues of Migrant Workers, Women's Rights, and Caste Based Discriminations of Nepal. She has a master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism and has more than 6 years of work experience in the Development Communications and Public Relations Sector in Nepal and Myanmar. She is currently based in Amman, Jordan. In her free time, Benju likes to sing, listen to music and read books.

Topraj Gurung is based in Kathmandu, Nepal. He first started coding in 1999 and has since then worked at Google, Facebook and startups in various capacities. He got his PhD in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA. In his free time, he loves following NBA basketball.

Pawan Benjamin is a professional musician and a technology educator.

Rushil Shakya is a technology educator who is passionate about making the sector more inclusive. He has worked in leadership capacities in large fortune 500 company as well as in technology startup. He has also volunteered his time and expertise for a number of social justice organizations in Nepal and the United States.

Aditi Mody is currently on the Board of Trustee at the University of Chicago Trust ( since February 2018).

Aditi was the Former Executive Director at the University of Chicago Trust (2016- 2021) where she provided strategic and administrative leadership in promoting research, education, and engagement of the University in multi sector policy and program implementation within the region.

She was also the Former Executive Director of the UChicago Center in India Private Limited (2016-2020) where she worked closely with the University of Chicago’s academic and administrative leaders, to support University of Chicago initiatives, develop and expand academic collaborations and foster collaborative programming and policy engagement in India and South Asia.

Aditi also served as Country Director for India with the US-India Business Council (USIBC) at the US Chamber of Commerce. At USIBC, Aditi was responsible for establishing the India office of the Council and growing the commercial and strategic partnership between the countries by leading charge on bilateral policy advocacy issues for USIBC’s diverse membership with a variety of stakeholders across a range of sectors.

She served on Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Cargill Global Scholars Selection Committee (April 2021) and was on the National Screening Committee for the Fulbright-Nehru CII Fellowship for Leadership Management (2010-2011).

Aditi currently serves on the Women Leadership Board at the Women and Public

Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School as well as the Board of Trustees at Habiart Foundation (which promotes contemporary Indian Art).

She holds a M.A. in International Relations from the University of Chicago (USA) and Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Bristol University (UK).

Amy Paul is a communication and fundraising professional who has helped advance immigrant justice, community-driven public safety, and workers’ rights. She has worked for nonprofits including Possible Health and the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. She has also served as a board member for Adhikaar for Human Rights. Amy holds a Master’s in International Affairs from the New School and an undergraduate degree in public policy from The University of Chicago. She lives in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Barsha is a product designer based in New York City. She graduated from Parsons School of Design with an MFA in Design and Technology and currently is working as a UX/UI designer and Front-End Developer at a nonprofit organization. She is also an avid guitarist and a movie critique.

Brittin is a development professional with extensive experience in Nepal. She holds a master's degree in international public policy from Johns Hopkins University.

Mamta Gurung Nyangmi has over 20 years of experience in international and community development. She has worked at the UN, at numerous international and national NGOs as well as the private sector. She provides strategic, programmatic, and organizational management to global and grassroots organizations in the US, South Asia, and South East Asia. With a focus on intersections of social protection, education, gender, ethnic and racial justice, Mamta understands that sustainable development occurs when systems are set up to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion of the marginalized and the vulnerable.

Born to a pastoral family in rural Nepal, Mamta has lived and worked in some of the most vibrant cities in the world including Kathmandu, Delhi and New York and uses these cross-cultural experiences to navigate complex situations and advocate for representation. She has a Masters in International Development from Cornell University, Bachelors in International Development from the City University of New York and, a BA Honors in English Literature from Delhi University. She is fluent in Nepali, Hindi, English and in her native tongue Manangi, is conversational in Tibetan and speaks basic Spanish.

Matti is a senior lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Helsinki, specializing in web development and cloud-based software engineering. A pioneer in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), he launched the Helsinki Programming MOOC in 2012. In 2018, he collaborated with several industry partners to initiate the Full Stack Open course series, which focuses on cutting-edge technologies. His courses have attracted thousands of participants worldwide. Matti is a strong advocate for open-access learning, releasing all his teaching materials under open licenses.

In addition to his teaching role, Matti is an active software developer. Together with his team, TOSKA, he builds systems used by several universities in Finland. He has also worked as a software developer at Nokia and the startup AppGyver, which was later acquired by SAP.

In his free time, Matti enjoys rock climbing and trekking in the Alps and occasionally in the Himalayas.

Navaraj is a development professional with over twenty-five years of leadership experience in Asia and Africa. Currently, he is a consultant for NGO management, strategy, and leadership, and he coaches and mentors senior managers. He is interested in organizational development, operational management, organizational change and leadership mentoring.

Prarthana (she/her) is a first-generation Nepali-American, born and raised in the U.S., and currently serves as the Director of Campaigns & Communications at Adhikaar, a community and worker center that organizes the Nepali-speaking immigrant and refugee community. Prarthana brings to TEJ a decade of experience in building campaigns and bridging communications for social justice movements spanning from worker rights, immigration, environmental justice, police accountability, and public health. She currently resides in Queens, New York City.

Ramesh Singh is currently a freelance consultant and volunteer living in and working from Asia (Bangkok – Kathmandu).

Strategy review, evaluation and development, public policy advocacy, NGO design, governance and architecture, integrity and accountability systems, strategic leadership teaching, training and mentoring are his areas of interest, learning and expertise.

Ramesh Singh has worked in leadership roles at country, regional and global levels in development, human rights and environmental international organizations. He has lived in and worked from South and Southeast Asia; West, East and Southern Africa; North America; and Western Europe. He has also served in governance roles of various international organisations.

Ramesh was educated as an agronomist/seed technologist. He has been a visiting fellow at Institute of Development Studies UK; Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs US and, Harvard Kennedy School US.

He has done recent consultancy and pro-bono work at Amnesty International, Africans Rising Movement, Greenpeace India, ActionAid, WaterAid, International Development Economist Associates and Women or Women International.

Todd Rodgers is the CTO at Haven Technologies, a new SaaS company that leverages an industry leading technology platform to help carriers deliver new products and digitally transform their operations.

Prior to launching Haven Technologies, Todd was CTO at Haven Life, a life insurance startup that takes a customer-centric, digital approach to improving the life insurance buying experience. In this role, Todd oversaw development teams to ensure delivery of a next generation customer experience in the life insurance industry.

Todd has extensive leadership experience in defining and delivering large-scale strategic technology platforms in financial companies. Prior to joining Haven Life, he was at Citi Private Bank where he managed global development teams that worked to address complex financial needs of high-value clients.